Enric Mas is looking to improve on his season after a Tour de France that didn't go to plan, and he has felt the difficulties in the descents specially after a season that has had him crash multiple times.
"Since the fall of the Dauphiné I have an internal fear that I have been suffering throughout the Tour de France. and that I find difficult to overcome," Mas said, emotionally, after the finish of stage 11 where he didn't manage to rise into the Top10.
"I am still blocked. I have fallen three times this year," he said, after having crashed at Tirreno-Adriatico out of GC contention, and then having a similar situation at both Itzulia Basque Country and the Critérium du Dauphiné. He was in today's breakaway up the Col d'Aubisque, but was dropped early on in the day, visibly struggling on it's technical descent.
After today's stage he's sitting in 11th place, where he is set to finish his fourth Tour de France. A disappointing result for the Spaniard who had finished fifth and sixth over the last two editions of the race, and for Movistar who are set to leave the race without a noticeworthy result and little points for the UCI ranking.
"We hope that it changes towards La Vuelta," he added. Mas has finished second at the Vuelta a España last year after a similar preparation and will be looking to regain his best form ahead of the home Grand Tour.
🇫🇷 #TDF2022: @EnricMasNicolau, acompañado en el final de esta 18ª etapa por @muehlberger_94, acaba a 7'23" en Hautacam y es 11º CG. 🗣️"He arrastrado un miedo interno en los descensos todo el Tour tras las 3 caídas de este año. Tenemos que pasar este aprendizaje y solucionarlo"
